Super Blue Blood Moon: What to expect, how, when, where to see it

The end of January will bring the third supermoon in a row, the second full moon of January and a total lunar eclipse, all at the same time. The last time the three happed together was 152 years ago on March 31, 1866.

Sky watchers are eager to see the combination - collectively known as a blood moon, a blue moon and a super moon - all together.

Blood moon and the lunar eclipse

January moon earns the title "blood moon" due to the total lunar eclipse. A fully eclipsed moon taken on an eerie reddish hue as it travels through the dark central portions of the Earth's shadow, blocking sunlight from hitting the moon. The light that does make its way to Earth is filtered through the atmosphere making it appear red. The moon can also take on a yellowish or orange tone.

Blue moon

So if the moon is reddish, why is it called a blue moon, too? The name "blue moon" is given to the second full moon of a calendar month. January's first full moon occurred on Jan. 1.

Super moon

A supermoon is a moon that is full when it is also at or near it closest point in orbit around the Earth - a time known as perigee. At that time, the moon will generally appear about 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than its furthest point.

The Jan. 31 moon is the third of a super moon trilogy: the first occurred on Dec. 3 with the second on Jan. 1.

What to expect

Totality for the total lunar eclipse will stretch from western North America across the Pacific to the eastern Asia, according to NASA.

Here's some advice on getting the best view:

"The lunar eclipse on Jan. 31 will be visible during moonset. Folks in the Eastern United States, where the eclipse will be partial, will have to get up in the morning to see it," said Noah Petro, a research scientist from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

The event will be most visible in western North America, Asia, Australia, and elsewhere across the Eastern Hemisphere.

According to Space.com, the moon will reach perigee at 4:54 a.m. EST on Jan. 30. Then, on Jan. 31, the moon reaches its full phase at 8:27 a.m. EST.